(Posted 5/20/2005)
According to Ireland *'s RTE news, The Irish * government is ready to give 1 million euros (about US $1.25M) for a pilot project to construct local skateboard parks.
In a prepared statement, Dick Roche, Ireland's Minister for the Environment, said each city and county council is being asked to submit expressions of interest and, following evaluation, some of the regions will be selected for funding.
Mr Roche also announced he was allocating 3.6 million Euros for the provision of playground facilities, but said 1.6 million of this figure came from last year's budget because local authorities did not use it all.
The minister added that he was urging local authorities to ensure that the full allocation, a record figure, was spent this year, and that he was making it easier for them to spend the allocation.
Mr Roche also conjected that 'any additional funding for these type of facilities is very welcome as I am acutely aware of the lack of specialist facilities for young people', and he challenged local communities to bring forward imaginative and innovative proposals for skatepark * projects. Search this site for more about Ireland Slates 1M Euros Skateboard Parks * | 
